Easter is Sweeter Without the Sugar!

Just when you feel like you’ve finally gotten over Christmas and lost the Christmas excess, the Easter bunnies start to fill the shelves at the supermarket. Easter is just over 3 weeks away. For most, the first thing immediately associated with the holiday with is……CHOCOLATE and moreeee chocolate.

WordStorm teamed up with …well,naturally and searched for guilt free chocolate recipes that you can indulge in, without obsessing over kilojoules while you are meant to be relaxing over the Easter break. These are simple, fuss free, relatively mess free, recipes that you can bake with your family for an Easter activity.

We started with the Australian invention, Rocky Road. The story behind the good ole’ Rocky Road was new to us.

Rocky Road was invented in Australia in 1853 as a way of on-selling confectionery spoiled by the long journey from Europe. Gold miners in towns outside of Melbourne, such as Ballarat, were wealthy but uncultured. Unscrupulous businessmen took advantage of these men, mixing the spoiled confectionery with low quality chocolate and other ‘filler’ ingredients, such as locally foraged nuts. The name Rocky Road is derived from the ‘Rocky Road’ travelers had to take to get to the gold fields.

Rocky Road

(Serves 4)

200g Wellness dark chocolate melts

45g sugar free marshmallows, roughly chopped

50g dried cranberries

50g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

Combine all of the ingredients except for the chocolate in a large bowl.

In a double boiler place 2/3 of the chocolate melts and whilst stirring constantly melt the chocolate. Using a food thermometer melt the chocolate to a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius.

Remove the bowl from the double boiler and place on a work surface. Add the remaining 1/3 of the chocolate melts and stir constantly but slowly to ensure no air bubbles.

Stir the chocolate until it reaches a temperature of 33 degrees Celsius.

Pour the chocolate over the other ingredients and combine well.

Transfer the mixture to a small baking tray lined with baking paper.

Place in the fridge to set, 20 minutes.

Next we came across a healthy version of Chocolate Rum Balls. These are our personal fave, and completely guilt free and sugar free! We had more than a second serving, lets face it.

Chocolate Wellness Rum Balls

(Serves 6)

12 dates, pitted

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 cup blanched almonds

1 cup walnuts

1 tsp vanilla extract

45g dark wellness chocolate melts

½ capful of rum

½ cup shredded coconut

Using a high powered food processor combine all of the ingredients except for the coconut. Blitz until you are left with a thick paste.

Roll about a tablespoon of the mixture into a ball and repeat until you have used up all of the mixture.

Take each ball and then roll in the coconut to coat.

Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to set.

You can’t fail with a healthy chocolate brownie e.v.e.r.

Chocolate Brownies

(Serves 6 adults)

12 dates, pitted

¼ cup cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting

1 cup almonds

1 cup macadamia nuts

1 tsp vanilla extract

45g dark wellness chocolate melts

punnet of raspberries

Using a high powered food processor combine all of the ingredients except for the raspberries. Blitz until you are left with a thick paste.

Transfer the mixture to a small baking tray lined with baking paper. Spread the mixture out evenly to ensure that the top of the brownie is nice and smooth and it is evenly spread across the tray.

Place in the fridge and allow to set for 20 – 30 minutes.

Remove from fridge just prior to serving and dust with cocoa powder. Serve with 3 or 4 berries per brownie.

Now that we have you licking your lips, find out more about …well,naturally Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Melts here: http://wellnaturally.com.au